For reasons unknown, during this most consumptive of consume phases, I've been watching mindless television. More specifically, The Rookie followed by Castle. What was funnier than seeing Alan Tudyk (Wash) opposite Nathan Fillon (Mal) in The Rookie was the fact that it didn't dawn on me until an embarrassing amount of time had already passed. More recently Nathan was paired with Adam Baldwin (Jayne) in an episode of Castle (I did notice that one). In season five of Castle he's paired up with his Rookie co-star Titus Makin Jr. (Jackson).

It is so very easy to talk ourselves out of so many of the things we wish to have in our lives. Easy because that which prevents us from doing so is simply identified; the only thing which ever holds us back from accomplishing anything is limited to our fears, our insecurities, and our doubts. Nothing more. See? Easy.

Talking ourselves into doing things - anything - is less easy. To counteract that when I was a younger man, I did things for one reason, and one reason alone: The experience. It didn't matter whether I loved it or hated it, I would never know for sure unless I proved it to myself. Empirically. And so I did. Over and over and over. But now? I wonder what has changed. I am curious how I morphed into this person afraid to take risks. Afraid to fail. I used to love failure - it's the shortest learning curve - and who doesn't enjoy efficient learning techniques? And yet.

What is it we're actually risking? What do we *actually* have to lose? Time? Money? Pride? Our heart? What are those compared to experience? Why do we, as a species, place more weight on what we have to lose than what we have to gain? For if we can set aside the idea of ego, or duration, or manufactured grief, what we may gain is a hundred-fold of any perceived loss - a gain we would never otherwise have.

And that's worth any price.